The Purple Eyed Pauper
by Iammehowru
Summary: Imagine everything was backwards… Alanna and her family were paupers in the city of Corus, forever looking up at the palace and wishing. Jonathan wasn’t Prince, just a noble training to be a knight. I’m heading towards an A/J fic, as much as it hurts me..
1. Good News

Summary- Imagine everything was backwards… Alanna and her family were paupers in the city of Corus, forever looking up at the palace and wishing. Jonathan wasn't Prince, just a noble training to be a knight. (I'm heading towards an A/G fic, I hope)

**Disclaimer- Any character used here that appears in Tamora Pierces novels is hers and only hers. I only own this twist on the story and any characters I choose to add. I know we all feel like we know so much about Tammy's characters that they are ours too… but for legal purposes… :[**

**A/N- I tried to do Thieves Cant, but I'm not very good at it… sorry**

Another carriage slowly rolled into the palace grounds, pulled by majestic horses and lined with jewels. Anyone who had lived in the city for more than a day knew how fast they'd disappear. Alanna didn't join in the scurry. Instead she just sat there, imagining the person inside and all they were to learn. Knighthood, that was all she dreamed of.

Thom dived into the mass of people, his pocket knife ready. His size gave him an advantage as he ducked under legs and twisted away from grasping hands. Quickly he dug his knife into the edge of a roughly cut gem and ran.  
"Check it out!!" He grinned as he opened his hand to show his pickings to his sister. She gasped and quickly closed his hands again. She led him through the crowd that had gathered and straight into the door of the Drinking Den which was the home of the Rouge. She was smaller than her brother but had her hair cropped short, and instead of a dress, like most young girls, she wore patched breaches, so even her twin didn't feel embarrassed being led by a girl, not one that looked like a boy.

"George!!" Alanna yelled as she entered the busy bar, checking constantly behind her to see her brother was looking after his prize correctly, and constantly slapping his arm when he had his hand open. She led him up the stair cases to the top room, and knocked 3 times, hard and sharp. She yelled out again, and a third time, before pushing hard on the door and letting herself in, her brother still unwillingly in tow. Seeing the Rouge lying asleep on his bed she headed for the half full water pitcher and dumped it straight on his face. Then she ran away.

The rouge Jumped up quickly sighting out one of his many knives. He looked around the room, and Alanna sensed him using his gift for the rest.  
"Hello?" he called, strong but tentative, walking slowly into the entry of his quarters.  
"Uhh, sorry…" Alanna bit her lip, Thom cowered behind her. The huge man started to laugh.

"You'd have ta be mighty game to wake me up without reason. What ye got f'r me?" He waited expectantly as Thom opened his hand and pushed it towards George. Alanna finally let go of him, and moved off to sit on one of the hard chairs around the table for 3. Thom, being suddenly exposed, opened his eyes wider in fright ad bit down so hard on his lower lip it began to bleed.

"Nice work kids. But we have to be careful sellin' this, sit down, grab ye selves a drink." Thom obliged, to afraid to say anything back. Alanna, who was already sitting, grinned up at him and poured both herself and her twin a glass full of the substance in the nearest bottle. Alanna sipped it and reached, but placed it back in front of her and smiled.  
"Well, while ye're here and comfortable, do I have news for you Miss Alanna."


	2. Whats so Grand?

**Disclaimer-**** (do I really have to do one of these every chapter?) Nothing in the particular chapter is mine, it is Tamora Pierces… hers and hers alone… 'CEPT FOR GEORGE I DIBS HIM!!!**

Her mind ran through the possibilities. Her father was coming the stay, her mother wasn't really dead, Thom wasn't really her brother, they didn't have to steal anymore cause they found so much money in the basement of their old house, George was giving her a horse, a cat, her own room.  
"Ye're going to work Alanna!"

Thom dissolved into a fit of giggles, rolling around on his chair. Alanna just looked at George carefully, trying to sense if it was truth.  
"Where?" She said it slowly, trying not to show how disappointed she was. George smiled and inclined his head a small bit, pointing his chin out the window towards the majestic view but Alanna didn't comprehend. She kept staring at him blankly until he all but yelled.  
"The Palace!!! Ye're working in the stables girl!!"

Alanna's mouth slowly opened into a tiny O. Eventually, when her mouth had reached a open mouthed grin she leapt forward.  
"Thank you George!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" she wrapped her arms around his huge body for a second before leaping up again and dancing around the room.  
"The palace… Oh My Goddess… the palace!!" she screamed as she ran down the hallway to tell her favourite bar maid.

George grinned at Thom, who sent a tight lipped smile back. Even past the huge teeth Thom could tell George was as worried to send Alanna away as he was.  
"The lass'll be fine." He lied to both himself and Thom "Let her have some fun with this aye?"

It was a long time since Thom had seen Alanna this happy. She had been moping around ever since their Mother had left them with George, and though she loved him, she could never love him like a parent. He was grateful, more than saddened, by the idea of this distraction. He loved her to much to stop her, no matter what his instincts told him.

The palace was like a different world. Alanna was actually glad she wasn't going to be staying in the main quarters; she would be living in the stables themselves. She watched the groups of servants, nobles and more servants, not one stopped to offer her help, even though she was standing, with 3 bags, totally lost in the middle of a hallway. She wandered a bit until she found she had been walking in circles. Exasperated she dumped he bags next to a wall and sat on them.  
"Maybe the palace isn't all I thought it would be." She muttered, on the verge of tears. "I've wanted this for so long…"

As she sat there a group of young boys walked past; too well dressed to be servants, obviously not Knights. As they walked past a few looked at her, then one boy, walking near the back with his friends stoped and looked at her. He was dressed even more regally that the others, red velvet and gold trim, and his eyes the most astonishing shade of blue. He looked down at her, clearly astonished by her eye colour as well, and possible the fact a person as commonly dresses as she was sitting in the halls of the palace.

Without speaking he offered her his hand. She used it to get up from her bag, but even standing he was head and shoulders taller than her. Still wordless he headed off down the halls. After walking a few steps he turned, looked at her and jerked his head. She picked up her bags and ambled over and, still silent, they walked together down the halls.

**A/N- so chapter 2 is up, sorry it took so long, sorry its pretty short… I opened this document almost every day for so long, never ended up writing anything, sorry and enjoy… AND REVIEW!!!**


	3. Don't forget the messenger birds

**Disclaimer- Only the alterations are mine, I wish I could take credit for other peoples work, 'specially when it's as good as Tammy's, but I can't… unless it's school work, then I'm fine with it…

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"So, you're the new stable hand?" A deep voice boomed, waking Alanna from a daydream and scaring her. His piercing eyes were looking at her strangely, again, as she stammered to reply.  
"Ahh… Yes. I was sent here by Geor… I mean, my Father" she had to be careful. Who knew how much the nobles knew about the city, maybe they also knew the first name of its rouge.

"You can ride then?" It was an odd question, almost a challenge. Alanna just nodded her reply. The young man smiled and led her down a different hallway. Alanna was beginning to think she would never find her way around the maze the palace was.  
"I'm Jonathan of Naxen, you might know my father? Duke Roald, he looks after all the Knights in training, and is the best swordsman in the palace."

"Alanna… I guess I've no last name." She mumbled as they rounded a corner, again. She saw a young man in the distance. He was quite large, taller and more muscled that the man she walked with, but he had an odd kind of walking. He ambled over to then, Jonathan had stopped walking to wait for him, and up close he was huge! He introduced himself as Gary, Gary of Conte, which drew a very low bow from Alanna.

This was more like the 'palace' she had imagined, meeting great nobles, princes and their friends, walking through wondrous passageways and seeing the amazing tapestries that hung on them. Eventually the small party reached the stables, which weren't as colourful, but still as amazing as the palace itself. As they entered Jonathan whistled, and a nimble young man climbed down the ladder and trotted towards them. Seeing Gareth he bowed, then turned and bowed, though not quite as low, to Jonathan. He just looked at Alanna.

"Timon, meet your new stable hand!" the large prince announced, with a bit of a flourish.  
"She's a girl…" the young man said after a long silence. Alanna fought to hide her sudden horror. Her only chance at palace life would be over just as soon as it had begun. The small girl began to stutter her defence, a million things running through her mind, but before she could get a whole word out the Naxen squire spoke for her.

"Just wait until you see her ride." The words had just enough enthusiasm in them to cover the order, but Alanna noticed it. She also noticed to look the prince gave Jonathan, knowing as well as anyone that he had never seen Alanna ride.  
"Pick a horse." Timon shot at Alanna before disappearing back into the loft, obviously defeated.

Once the newest member of the palace had, luckily, proved Jonathan right Timon looked at her with a little less of his condescending attitude. Instead he asked her more questions than she knew the answer to and in the process learnt that her foster father was the rouge he served, which earnt her a little more respect.

During the afternoon Alanna helped all the pages, some of which were still quite fresh, to look after their horses. The whole time she watched the two large squires she had met, who were training on the other grounds. She seemed to have this feeling about them. She continued to watch them after they left the stables with their fellow trainees and as the bell rang for the final meal of the day.

As she watched them she was forced to run up to the loft, they were leading some of their fellow nights into the stables again, talking loudly. Though she knew it rude to eavesdrop, especially on nobles who might catch you, she opened the trapdoor a tiny bit and peaked through. The prince, Jonathan and 2 other, almost as large, men were with them. They were muttering to each other, so quietly that Alanna couldn't hear. In effort to cease her curiosity Alanna opened the door further, and slid her ear out, instead of her eye. Only one word in Gary's sentence jumped out at her, her own name. Both trying to hear more, and startled by her presence in the conversation Alanna opened the door even further, and put her weight just a little too much on the trapdoor itself.

As Alanna fell to the floor she let out a little squeak, alerting the nobles she was there before she even hit the hay mounds, which Alanna suspected were put there just for this purpose. Jonathan, who was closest to her, reached forward and caught her, his arms taking the impact lightly. Alanna blushed profusely, from being caught eavesdropping, falling, and being caught during her fall. She jumped quickly out of the man's arms as he and his friends began laughing.  
"See," Gary said with a wink to her "I told you she was one worth watching, to make sure she doesn't fall out of too many lofts that is!" His comment brought out more red in Alanna's cheeks, and more loud guffaws from the almost knights. They were still laughing as they left.

"It'll be alright lass, they know you're only a fresh'n." A citymans voice came from within a stall. Alanna peaked over, only to find George, clad in a cloak, looking up at her. Her face lit up, she had missed him already.  
"I just came to let you know, Timon keeps messenger birds. Be good." He smiled and hugged her tightly, then walked off, whistling a light tune.

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**A/N- Only in this chapter did it realise how utterly wrong it would be to have this as a A/G fic. So, as much as my heart aches, it is changing to a A/J fic, which forces me to stop being a Jon hater… ****  
Please, Please, PLEASE review, or it might just take me even longer to upload the next chapter… hahahahaHAHAHA.  
xx  
**


	4. I can feel myself falling

The early rising hours and hard work began to take toll on Alanna, but it was nothing she wasn't used to. She couldn't sleep at night, because the bed was much too soft, and the room much too crowded. Though she was only a citymans daughter, she had also grown up in the House of the Rogue and there was no shortage of space there. Here at the palace, a bell would ring to signal anything. You were woken up by it, the pages and squires moved lessons at the sound of it, food was eaten after its ring, and lights were extinguished at its call and Alanna was sick of it.

She couldn't even talk to the pages and squires, they were too busy, or claimed they were. It was obvious many of them thought she was dirty, poor and unworthy of them. Even the pages, those younger than her, looked down at her and then hurried off for their lessons in whatever was next, archery, horse riding or sword fighting.

Of course, there were a few squires willing to speak to her, but she was avoiding them like the fever. Every time they did see her they would laugh. Or maybe that was just in Alanna's mind. Jonathan looked at her oddly, like he wanted to talk. Alanna never met his eyes, though that was hard, his eyes were beautiful.

It was a slow afternoon, soon before midwinter, when she found that she had to. The young man was working on his horse in the stables when she walked in, alone in her mind and whistling loudly. Timon was attending to those birds, the pages and squires were all in within the warm castle walls. Alanna set to her tasks around the stables, dancing happily. Only when she pushed at the door to Darkness's stall did she look into Jonathan's eyes, alight with amusement.

She let out a small squeal, punishing herself for being caught embarrassingly- for the second time- by this handsome young man. She turned to go and hide, preferably until he forgot all about her, but his strong hands grabbed at her.  
"I have my ordeal soon. I thought I wanted to be alone but watching you made me forget about it more than anything else could. Thank you." His voice was pleasant, not mocking. Alanna, suddenly remembering her place, curtsied deeply, and fell over. The nobles mouth opened in what should have been a laugh, but none came out.

"Ordeal?" Alanna asked, both genuinely confused and wanting to change the subject desperately. Jonathan shook his head and leant against the stable wall. The silence grew and the air was heavy between them. Alanna said the first thing she thought of, hoping only to end the awkwardness of this moment,  
"Wanna ride?" The noble flashed her his most stunning smile and pushed himself off the wall.  
"I'd love that." Alanna felt horrified for only a second before she shoved it down and began to tack her horse, soon Jonathan was sitting atop a beautiful black stallion, dwarfing Alanna's pony.

Before long the pair fell into easy chatter, the same as it had been when Alanna had first met him. There was two subjects they carefully avoided, Alanna's' family and Jonathans' Ordeal though He was perfectly willing to tell her anything she wished about court life, and even his royal cousins. It began to be impossible for Alanna to hold back any further, the young man was very easy to talk to, and just as she began to let a little loose the sun began to set, neither had realised how late it was getting. They rode hard back to the stables, leaving no time for talk, and parted ways after a simple goodbye.

Alanna sighed as she returned to her room. She might now be more comfortable around one noble but with them all… Alanna scolded herself for being so silly as she fell asleep and began dreaming of a handsome young squire.

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She was awoken by giggles, or maybe laughter since the bell was even to quiet to arouse her. Two girls sat near her bed, plaiting each others hair, as she rolled over sleepily to look at them the elder made a face and moaned,  
"Jonathan, Jonathan!" causing them both to dissolve again. Alanna covered her mouth horrified. She had forgotten about her sleep talking since she was too exhausted to dream most often, but it seemed the dreams were coming back.

Alanna's red cheeks did not disappear as she walked to breakfast, head hidden under her hair. It seemed most girls in her dorm had heard her and they all found it terribly funny. As she sat down with her porridge she felt eyes on her. Searching the room she soon found the electric blue culprits, and had a horrible thought. The squires already had enough to tease her about, now would she have to avoid the only one she could be around? She ducked her head when she felt tears in her eyes. 'You're being silly!' she scolded herself again. 'He was not even your friend yet, you have lost nothing!' But she still felt she had lost a chance.

Jonathan approached her many times that day, each she masterfully got away without him even having time to say a word. The other girls had long realised who the centre piece of her dreams were, and some helped her. Finally, after the stables were empty the squire crept up on her, leaving her no escape. Alanna whimpered as she looked up at him but he just looked puzzled.  
"I have been searching for you all day," he sounded hurt, "But each time I found you, you ran away. I had free time today and was just after another ride. I enjoyed telling things to someone who does not yet know everything about me."

Alanna smiled but felt horrified. She could have avoided all this embarrassment instead of just avoiding the cause. Frantic to mend the hole without having to answer questions she said  
"There is still an hour of light?" Jonathan smiled half-heartedly.  
"Yeah, maybe just a walk tonight though?" Alanna nodded, still too anxious to argue with someone as important as him. She crossed her arms in an effort to keep warm; she never had like the cold.

Tonight Alanna found that the squire could be quite funny, and that he was interested strongly in war tactics. He told her how he disagreed with the kings' approach to the current political problems, then explained them to her when he found out how little Alanna knew. They swapped between serious and inconsequential topics, walking until the sun was below the horizon.

An odd visitor was waiting in the stables for them when they returned. Alanna studied him for only a second before running forwards yelling  
"Thom!" She hugged her brother fiercely and started to blabber, asking hundreds of questions about George, the city and the Dancing Dove.  
"That's why I came. Can we go somewhere private?" He mumbled glancing at Jonathan. Alanna looked over apologetically and followed her brother out of the stables.

**A/N- Sorry for the long wait, that what you get for not reviewing! Finally a decent length chapter. I'm finally getting into this story so hopefully its going to get better!**

I re-read over the other chapters and I realised how utterly horrible my grammar is, and I don't thnk it is any better in this one. I'll try to edit it but I might have to find myself a beta. READ AND REVIEW!


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